With the 2024-25 NHL season looming ever closer, the Buffalo Sabres should be taking stock of their talent and really assessing what it is they expect out of each player. Realistic expectations are always a good thing to have, but after yet another season of underperforming, there needs to be a lot more shown from a few of them.
One in particular is Tage Thompson, as in 2022-23 he emerged as one of the league’s most dangerous goal-scoring threats, and showed that he was more than just a big body with a big shot. He had the speed, the hands, and tenacity, and the makings of a star and the only thing that could stop him was himself. Sadly, in 2023-24 he was mired with some lingering injury issues, and stuck with a mediocre coaching system that did not help, but at the end of the day, he was still the same player that had the capacity for much more. This season, he has to be much more.
Thompson’s Leadership Is Paramount
Seeing Thompson as a dominant player on the ice is one thing, but being a leader is another huge factor in what makes him such an impactful player for the Sabres. With his skills, he can run a play for sure, but in a group of young players still growing their chemistry together as a whole, he must be one of the biggest voices on the ice. The opposition needs to notice him, his teammates need to notice him, and he cannot be someone just waiting in the shadows to contribute something. To quote something from season two of the famous Hulu show Shoresy, “Find a way to contribute…”; it does not always have to be on the scoresheet every shift, but being a presence on the ice or the bench goes a long way, and Thompson presenting that star caliber aura at all times will make a difference.
Having the focus on him will make his life harder for sure, but it will only make him a better player. He has shown that he can handle some adversity and physicality when need be, so getting into scrums should not be a concern for him. Does newly re-hired coach Lindy Ruff probably want to see his star center out there fighting people all the time? No. But, seeing Thompson physically engaged in every play and being a dominant presence on the ice will only make the team better as a whole.
Thompson’s Return to 40 Goals Is a Must
At a bare minimum, 40 goals should be on Thompson’s radar this season. Last season he managed to muster 29 goals while mostly injured, and the prior season he had his career high of 47, so expecting a minimum of 40 for 2024-25 is not very high. If anything, he should be looking to push the boundaries of his career-high and shooting for the 50-goal or higher mark and really putting his name on the map as one of the best goal scorers in the league. Between his shooting ability, his hand skills, and the teammates he has around him, the recipe for goals going into the opposing net is quite mouth watering.
Beyond goal scoring, he has shown to be an equally talented playmaker and defender, but those should not be his first priority. This season, Ruff should be constantly in Thompson’s ear every time he passes up a premier scoring opportunity and grinding it into his brain that he needs to shoot the puck and take that opportunity for himself. This is not to say that he needs to stop playing defense by any means, but it simply means that when he does have the puck in the offensive zone, his focus needs to be on shooting. He has easily the best shooting ability on the team, so having the puck on his stick in a prime scoring spot is what everyone wants to see. He needs to make the most of every chance he has, and shoot the puck. Making some slick passes along the way is an inevitability for sure, but by the end of the season, I would love to see his goal total higher than his assist total for once.
Sabres’ Relevance Is Relevant
In the modern NHL, star players can be found on nearly every single team, and they usually are considered the faces of their particular franchise. When most people think of the Sabres they think of defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, but Thompson needs to make them change that. He needs to become such a dominant force on the ice that his face and name become as synonymous with the Sabres logo as Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers, or Auston Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Relevance as a player matters, and prominence makes a difference in this league, especially in a division dominated by juggernauts like the Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, Maple Leafs, and Boston Bruins, and other rising teams like the Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators.
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There is no room to breathe in the Atlantic Division, and playing at anything besides the absolute top of his game will spell catastrophe for the Sabres. The pressure is ridiculously immense for him and so many others on this team, but if they truly want to make a name for themself and finally get out of the basement of the NHL standings they need to break through; Thompson needs to be a difference maker to make them break through. Making a difference to make this team relevant is the difference between a playoff berth and another season of disappointment chalked up to the history books, and Thompson needs to be the one to carry them there on his massive 6-foot-6 shoulders.
